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Several hypotheses regarding the determinants of need achievement were examined. In addition to predicting sex differences, the study predicted that father's age would be inversely related to need achievement. In addition, the effects of family size and birth order on achievement motivation were compared. Subjects were 1,092 undergraduates (785 males and 307 females). Need achievement was measured by the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule. The results indicate that father's age, sex, and family size were significantly related to need achievement. Younger fathers, males, and smaller families were associated with higher need achievement. (Author)

Twenty male and 20 female first graders were trained in a paired-associates (PA) learning task to test the hypothesis that instructions to generate interactive mental images of word referents and interactive imagery training administered prior to PA learning facilitate cued recall. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the following five conditions: (1) separative imagery instructions with prior picture training; (2) interactive imagery instructions with picture training; (3) separative imagery instructions with no prior training; (4) interactive imagery instructions with no prior training; and (5) a control rote repetition group. Results of a 2 (pretraining condition) x 2 (imagery instructions) analysis of variance on number of trials to criterion indicated that instructing first graders to generate interacting images and providing them with interactive pictures prior to PA training facilitated cued recall. It was concluded that imagery instructions facilitate PA recall in first graders only when such instructions are made highly explicit. (Author/RH)

In recent years, society has emphasized the desirability of being thin. Although children may learn the attractiveness of being thin from society, another influential component may be their parents' attitudes toward food, eating, and eating restraint. This study investigated the dieting practices and beliefs in fourth-grade children and their mothers. The children's self-esteem, locus of control, and eating restraint were also assessed. Fifty children and their mothers completed an eating restraint scale; the children also completed measures of self-esteem and locus of control. Based on previous findings, children with higher eating restraint were expected to have lower self-esteem. Although the children's eating restraint, self-esteem, and locus of control were not related, the mothers' eating restraint was found to be positively related to their daughters' eating restraint and internality scores. No relationship was found between the mothers' eating restraint and their sons' eating restraint, locus of control, or self-concept measures. These findings can be interpreted in terms of same-sex identification processes. (Author/NB)

It was hypothesized that teaching poor readers to use a reflective cognitive style would facilitate their reading ability. An experimental group of children was taught to delay their responses and to use more efficient search and scanning techniques. Poor readers' vocabulary and comprehension scores and level of reflectivity improved following training. (Author/BW)

Self-concept formation has long been considered the most significant developmental milestone of adolescence. To assess the effects of gender, race, and social class on the general and area-specific self-esteem of late adolescents, 195 eleventh grade students, divided according gender, race (black, white), and social class (low, middle, high) were tested. Subjects completed the Rosenberg General Self-Esteem Scale, the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, and the Brookover Self-Concept of Ability and School Achievement Test. An analysis of the results showed that females, whites, and lower social class adolescents were consistently lower in their self-esteem scores than were males, blacks, and upper social class teenagers. White females were found to be lower in general and happiness self-esteem than all other gender by race subgroups. High socioeconomic status white students were lower on the happiness and behavioral self-esteem measures than black students and white middle class students. Black males and white females were less confident in their school ability than were black females and white males. The study is seen as an initial empirical contribution to the development of a comprehensive model of adolescent self-esteem. (Author/BL)

Research was conducted to assess teacher attitudes towards genetic I.Q. and to ascertain the extent of the teachers' knowledge of their students' I.Q. scores. Teacher attitudes were assessed via a 20-item questionnaire administered to 225 private and public school teachers in the southeast and northeast. Findings revealed that private shcool teachers were more likely to profess a belief in genetic I.Q. than public school teachers, and older teachers professed a stronger belief in genetic I.Q. than younger teachers. (Author/PK)